Refrigerator.



GRUENDLER.

REFRIGERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1. 1914.

0/ fl m W/M a W. w H F W M n 6 7 E 3 w w. 5 5/, m 2 III a m; M q w W J Oz I. GRUENDLER.

REFRIGERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE I. 1914 m Z i M 7 fly P I W UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

GUSTAV J. GRUENDLER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

REFRIGERATOR.

Application filed June 1, 1914.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUSTAV J. GRUENDLER, a citizen of the United States,and resident of St. Louis, Missouri, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Refrigerators, of which the following is aspecification containing a full, clear, and exact description, referencebeing had to the accom- .panying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to improvements in refrigerators, and the object ofmy invention is to construct a refrigerator in such manner as to receivefreezing cans wherein .water may be frozen for the production of icewhich may be used either to recharge the refrigerator or for table orother uses.

With the above purposes in view my invention consists in certain novelfeatures of construction and arrangement of parts as will behereinafter; more fully described, pointed out in the claims andillustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is alongitudinal sectional elevation-of a refrigerator embodying myinvention; Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on theline,22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan of a refrigerator having a portionof its top removed; Fig. 4 is a perspective illustrating my improvedfreezing can; Fig. 5 is a perspective illustrating my improved brinetank arranged toreceive the freezing can; Fig. 6 is a plan illustratingone of the ice-holding tubes; and Fig. 7 is a vertical sectionillustrating a removable container for an auxiliary chemical freezingagency. 1

Referi ing by numerals to the accompanying drawings: 8 designates thebody of the provided with doors such as 9 for gaining access to theinterior thereof, and also a removable lid 10. Arranged beneath thelid10 and projecting some considerable distance into the interior of therefrigerator body there is an ice-container 11 having openings in itsbottom through which are projected a plurality of open-ended tubes 12which extend some considerable distance downwardly into the interior ofthe refrigerator beyond the ice-container 11 and which also projectupwardly some considerable distance into the ice-container. At thebottom of each of the tubes 12 there are crossed bars 13 for the purposeof holding ice in the tubes yet permi ting the water Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented Mar. 21, 1916.

Serial No. 842,247.

from the molten ice to pass from the tubes. For the purpose of cleansingthe tubes 12 may be removed upwardly through the container 11. Removablypositioned within the interior of the refrigerator adjacent the door 9and immediately beneath all of the tubes 12 is a brine tank 14.

15 designates pockets, open at one end, which open end of the pocketsregisters with openings 16 formed in an end wall of the brine tank. Thebodies of the pockets 15 are separated from each other and all of theWalls of the brine tank, except the one having the openings therein.These pockets 15 are arranged to receive the freezing cans:17 each ofwhich is in the form of a drawer having a drawer-pull 18 at its forwardend. Each of these freezing cans is provided with a partition 19 wherebyto form more rigid side walls and in order that more than one piece ofice may be made at a time, which, because of its size, is more easilyhandled.

20 designates a pan having a perforated bottom which is arranged to fitover the top of the brine tank and is arranged for the purpose ofpreventing large particles of salt or ice from the tubes 12 from fallingto the bottom of the brine tank. Arranged within the refrigerator andconnected; with the ice container 11 is a coil of pipe 21. This coilextends through the body of the refrigerator and is connected with adischarge pipe 22. Within the coil between the ice-container 11 and thedischarge pipe 22 is a water trap 21' arranged to hold a quantity ofcold water from the molten ice of the container 11.

24 designates a pipe leading from the brine tank 14 and connected withthe coil 23,

. which coil includes a trap 23*, and provides an overflow for the brinetank.

Secured to the bottom of the ice container 11 at its approximatecenteris an internally threaded ring 25 which registers with an opening formedin the bottom of said iceconta iner, and constitutes a support for ametallic-bottle 26 which bottle has embracing it at its vertical centeran externally threaded ring 27 and at its top a removable closure 28.Such a bottle filled with brine and surrounded by the receptacles 12.will become quite cold while the mixture of ice and salt is melting.When such mixture has melted and drained away, the brine containr willact for a limited time as a heat absorber to keep the refrigerator cool.The

tubes next adjacent the bottle are of smaller size than the remainingtubes, as shown in Fig. 3, whereby the bottle may be hung between them.

The type of refrigerator shown is an ordinary commercial ice box andserves only to illustrate a practical housing for the apparatus of myinvention.

In the practical operation of my invention, assuming the parts to beassembled as shown, a quantity of cracked ice and salt is placed in thecontainer and in each, of the tubes 12. By reason of the large area ofexposed surface of the container and the tubes, the interior of therefrigerator is cool and, by reason ofthe coils 21 and 23 carrying offthe molten ice from the container 11 and brine tank 20, there is afurther agent or means for reducingthe temperature of the interior ofthe refrigerator. The brine tankis located near the bottom of therefrigerator in the coldest zone thereof and is arranged to catch all ofthe brine from the molten ice and ;salt. Water or other matter to befrozen is placed in the freezing cans and inserted in the pockets of thebrine tank, where they are surrounded on all sides save one by thebrine. This brine is sufficiently cold to freeze the water or othermatter in the cans.

A distinct advantage arising from the refrigerator having a zone whereinthe term perature is below freezing point is that some ice may be formedand used for the purpose of recharging the refrigerator, henceconserving ice. Another distinct advantage arising from thisconstruction is that other materials for table or like uses may befrozen in the refrigerator. In order to provide for separatecompartments and for controlling the temperatures thereof, I arrange apartition within the refrigerator and place in the top and bottomthereof hinged doors.

I claim:

1. A refrigerator, comprising a number of containers for ice and salt, abrine tank arranged to receive brine from said containers, there beingpockets within said brine tank but not in communication therewith, andremovable freezing cans arranged to be held in said pockets.

2. A refrigerator, comprising a hollow body, an ice container therein, acoil of pipe arranged for the drain of said container, a plurality oftubes in communication with said container, a brine tank arranged toreceive water from saidltubes, there being pockets formed in said brinetank but not in communication therewith, removable freezing cansarranged to be held in said pockets, and an overflow pipe for said brinetank connected with said coil of pipe.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inpresence of two subscribing witnesses.

GUSTAV J. GRUENDLER.

Witnesses:

E. L. WALLACE, EDWARD E. LONGAN.

